Penner continues to process trade from Ducks

March 17, 2014

Updated March 18, 2014 1:23 a.m.

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BOSTON, MA - MARCH 06: Dustin Penner #17 of the Washington Capitals plays against the Boston Bruins in the first period during the game at TD Garden on March 6, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) Staff

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 06: Dustin Penner #17 of the Washington Capitals plays against the Boston Bruins in the first period during the game at TD Garden on March 6, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) Staff

ANAHEIM – The mere matter of minutes that took Dustin Penner from a top-line winger about to hit the ice for a Ducks practice to leaving Honda Center as a member of the Washington Capitals were something he called a “whirlwind” and “surreal.”

And Penner, who can take a situation and offer his unique spin on it, then said his March 4 trade before the deadline was “an out-of-body experience.” Blindsided by the deal, it is fair to say he’s still processing it in a way nearly two later as he returns to Anaheim when the Capitals face the Ducks on Tuesday.

“Both feet hadn’t touched the ice yet,” Penner recalled, discussing the moment when he was pulled off to be notified by Ducks general manager Bob Murray that he was sent to the Capitals for a fourth-round pick.

The Ducks then used that to obtain defenseman Stephane Robidas from Dallas. Penner said the interaction with Murray was short and quick.

“He just said, ‘You’ve been traded to Washington,’” Penner said. “I said, ‘Why?’ And then he said, ‘Cap room.’ And then I left.”

Just like that, Penner’s second stint with the Ducks didn’t last eight months. The big winger that won a Stanley Cup with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in 2007 was brought back on a one-year, $2-million deal to re-ignite the chemistry they had as a trio.

There were flashes of the dominance they displayed as blossoming youngsters, with Penner getting 13 goals and 19 assists in 49 games. There were other times when he was dropped from the line or scratched from the lineup altogether.

Just as he eagerly anticipated his first game against the Kings when he re-joined the Ducks, Penner figures that Tuesday's game at Honda Center will be an emotional bridge to cross toward putting his time in Anaheim behind him.

"I think this will be a big step towards getting through it or however you want to put it," Penner said. "Obviousy it's the same cliché answers. I still have a lot of friends on that team. Won a Cup here. Blah, blah, blah.

"It's part of the job, I guess, that people really don't see."

Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau called Penner one of the more interesting players he’s coached and was a “great teammate”.

“I’ve got the kind of personality where I would have hung out with him,” Boudreau said. “He asks a lot of questions. He wants to be good. All the time.

“He had his moments. It’s just the consistency. When he was good, he was really good. When he was inconsequential, he was inconsequential. But that’s been his [modus operandi] for his career.”

Penner arrived in training camp out of shape but worked his way back onto the top line and had his best run after an October concussion with seven goals and 12 assists in 18 games. His production tailed off but had picked up right before the trade.

It has left him seeing the cold side of the hockey business.

“I thought I did everything they asked,” he said. “It’s just sometimes it doesn’t work out. I think I surpassed my point total the first 40 games than I’ve had all of the last three [years].

“If there was something I could have differently, I’d have stayed. I would have but that’s hindsight now. You look forward to the players you are with now and what you have to do to help the team here.”

The Ducks were surprised by the move, which in part was to open up more playing time for young wingers Kyle Palmieri and Jakob Silverberg. The inability to land Ryan Kesler or another scorer to replace Penner seemed to have a greater impact.

“It might be a little different the first time around because it’s so fresh obviously and it wasn’t a summertime move when he got moved on,” center Ryan Getzlaf said. “It’ll be interesting to see him out there tomorrow.”

Penner is trying to get comfortable with the Capitals. He got his first point in seven games with them, assisting on a Joel Ward goal in a 4-2 win Sunday over Toronto.

But the chance to hoist the Cup for a third time grew more distant as Washington is fighting to make the playoffs. Penner is left feeling disillusioned by the Ducks.

"Especially considering the position we were in as a team,” Penner said. “I think it’s an eye-opener for a lot of guys in that locker room. And for fans too because they always … in some cases they grips about loyalty [from] players.

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